16 Things You can Do for Imam Jamil Al-Amin
by the volunteer staff of The Imam Jamil Action Network
by the volunteer staff of The Imam Jamil Action Network
There are several ways you can work for Imam Jamil's freedom and dignity, whether you are an individual or a group of people. The most important thing is to try to do what each of us can. Here is a list of ideas:
1. Make Dua
Asking God by Dua (supplication) to help Imam Jamil Al-Amin, to clear his name, and to let the truth of this matter come out takes only a few minutes. It also costs nothing and it doesn't require making any public statements. Make it a habit to remember Imam Jamil Al-Amin in your Dua daily.
2. Read, read and read
If you aren't familiar with the case, read up on it. You can check out the official website, go back to newspaper clippings or search the internet. Become familiar also with who Imam Jamil Al-Amin is, his past and his present. Find out how he's contributed to Islam in America as a Muslim for the last two decades. This will give you a clearer understanding of why defending him is so important.
3. Read up on the Civil & Human Rights Movements
Too many of us are misguided into believing that the US justice system is fair for all. Reading about the civil & human rights movements in America, why it was necessary and African-Americans' apprehension about the justice system will quickly dispel that notion. African-Americans have had to struggle long and hard to free themselves of slavery and oppression in this country. They are still fighting against racism today. This will give you an appreciation of how the African-American community has helped everyone, especially people of color.
4. Become a contact person for the Imam Jamil Action Network in your area to distribute flyers
Distributing flyers about Imam Jamil at community events is one of the most important ways to publicize his case. Most of what people know is coming from non-Muslim media sources, which often times is biased against Imam Jamil Al-Amin.
5. Organize a program in your neighborhood Church or Masjid about justice in the U.S. and Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin
This is another way to inform the community about Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case. If possible, get two or three speakers who are well versed in the issue. Also, make sure to raise funds at this event and send it to the Imam's legal fund, The Justice Fund.
6. Ask your Church or Masjid to dedicate one sermon to talk about the cause for Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case
A sermon is an excellent way to reach a diverse crowd. You'll find all kinds of people at worship service, from a myriad of nationalities. Take advantage of this and let them know about our brother, Imam Jamil Al-Amin.
7. Bring Imam Jamil's case to life on the Internet
The Imam Jamil Action Network website is one of the very few voices which speak about the Imam and his case from a Muslim perspective. Have ideas? ...send an email to the webmaster info@imamjamilactionnetwork.org
8. Establish an Imam Jamil Action Network support committee in your area
This will make it easier to inform people about Imam Jamil Al-Amin and to help him locally. Make sure this committee truly represents the Muslim community by including women, youth and members of different nationalities. Its activities could include seminars, lectures, fundraising dinners, pamphlet distribution and more.
9. Write about the case in local and campus newspapers
By writing in these newspapers about the case, you will give a national story a local angle. You also reach a diverse audience of some Muslims, but plenty of non-Muslims, who could also be interested in supporting this cause. In addition, with new information about a confession by another man to the crime last summer, which the FBI did not report to Imam Jamil Al-Amin's attorneys and kept meeting with this man until he recanted. It's important to inform as many people as possible about this and other facts about his case which are not known to the public.
10. Organize a campus or community radio show on the topic
Radio is not dead. It's a medium which has gained back popularity in the last few years because of Internet radio stations like RadioIslam.com. Arrange a special program dedicated to Imam Jamil al-Amin. Campus and community radio programs are usually open to the idea of different communities expressing their viewpoints. Use this to your advantage to present the Muslim perspective on this issue.
11. Hold joint programs with the following two departments
Involve African-American associations and your university's African History and Black History departments with the effort to publicize and promote Imam Jamil's campaign through workshops, lectures, information tables, discussions and more. They can provide you with information and contacts you'll need to publicize the event amongst a larger crowd, and also with vital information and statistics about the African-American community in the U.S., which you would not find from mainstream sources.
12. Develop alliances
Muslims are not the only ones interested in Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case. African-American organizations, caucuses, social justice groups, left-wing and socialist groups are all interested not just in observing the case but also in doing something about it. This is a great example of Muslims working with others for the greater good. The added bonus of taking a joint approach is that you will have more resources at your disposal to fight for justice for Imam Jamil.
13. Put up a poster in your Church, Masjid, or Community Center asking people to log on to www.ImamJamilActionNetwork.org
This poster should be a short and simple way to sensitize people to Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case. It’s fast and easy and doesn't require expert knowledge about the issue.
14. Use the case as a school project
"Media Bias in the Case of Imam Jamil Al-Amin" could be the topic of your next term paper or presentation. Use your upcoming class assignment as a way to educate peers and your teacher about Imam Jamil and his case. For example, you can do a paper or presentation for a law class; you can
discuss how his case shows media bias in a journalism class; you can do a book review of this autobiography Revolution By The Book: The Rap is Live.
15. Make sure his books are part of your local and school library
Check out the bookshelves and see if they're carrying his writing. If not, write a polite letter to the librarian about your discovery and explain why the school should purchase his books and how students will learn from them. Get other students and teachers involved also.
16. Hold a family meeting about Imam Jamil Al-Amin and the case
Have a family discussion about Imam Jamil. Get one member to collect biographical facts about him, another to gather information about the case and a third to talk about how Imam Jamil has benefited Black People in America. End the meeting with a Dua for him and a family collection of money for his defense fund.
There are several ways you can work for Imam Jamil's freedom and dignity, whether you are an individual or a group of people. The most important thing is to try to do what each of us can. Here is a list of ideas:
1. Make Dua
Asking God by Dua (supplication) to help Imam Jamil Al-Amin, to clear his name, and to let the truth of this matter come out takes only a few minutes. It also costs nothing and it doesn't require making any public statements. Make it a habit to remember Imam Jamil Al-Amin in your Dua daily.
2. Read, read and read
If you aren't familiar with the case, read up on it. You can check out the official website, go back to newspaper clippings or search the internet. Become familiar also with who Imam Jamil Al-Amin is, his past and his present. Find out how he's contributed to Islam in America as a Muslim for the last two decades. This will give you a clearer understanding of why defending him is so important.
3. Read up on the Civil & Human Rights Movements
Too many of us are misguided into believing that the US justice system is fair for all. Reading about the civil & human rights movements in America, why it was necessary and African-Americans' apprehension about the justice system will quickly dispel that notion. African-Americans have had to struggle long and hard to free themselves of slavery and oppression in this country. They are still fighting against racism today. This will give you an appreciation of how the African-American community has helped everyone, especially people of color.
4. Become a contact person for the Imam Jamil Action Network in your area to distribute flyers
Distributing flyers about Imam Jamil at community events is one of the most important ways to publicize his case. Most of what people know is coming from non-Muslim media sources, which often times is biased against Imam Jamil Al-Amin.
5. Organize a program in your neighborhood Church or Masjid about justice in the U.S. and Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin
This is another way to inform the community about Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case. If possible, get two or three speakers who are well versed in the issue. Also, make sure to raise funds at this event and send it to the Imam's legal fund, The Justice Fund.
6. Ask your Church or Masjid to dedicate one sermon to talk about the cause for Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case
A sermon is an excellent way to reach a diverse crowd. You'll find all kinds of people at worship service, from a myriad of nationalities. Take advantage of this and let them know about our brother, Imam Jamil Al-Amin.
7. Bring Imam Jamil's case to life on the Internet
The Imam Jamil Action Network website is one of the very few voices which speak about the Imam and his case from a Muslim perspective. Have ideas? ...send an email to the webmaster info@imamjamilactionnetwork.org
8. Establish an Imam Jamil Action Network support committee in your area
This will make it easier to inform people about Imam Jamil Al-Amin and to help him locally. Make sure this committee truly represents the Muslim community by including women, youth and members of different nationalities. Its activities could include seminars, lectures, fundraising dinners, pamphlet distribution and more.
9. Write about the case in local and campus newspapers
By writing in these newspapers about the case, you will give a national story a local angle. You also reach a diverse audience of some Muslims, but plenty of non-Muslims, who could also be interested in supporting this cause. In addition, with new information about a confession by another man to the crime last summer, which the FBI did not report to Imam Jamil Al-Amin's attorneys and kept meeting with this man until he recanted. It's important to inform as many people as possible about this and other facts about his case which are not known to the public.
10. Organize a campus or community radio show on the topic
Radio is not dead. It's a medium which has gained back popularity in the last few years because of Internet radio stations like RadioIslam.com. Arrange a special program dedicated to Imam Jamil al-Amin. Campus and community radio programs are usually open to the idea of different communities expressing their viewpoints. Use this to your advantage to present the Muslim perspective on this issue.
11. Hold joint programs with the following two departments
Involve African-American associations and your university's African History and Black History departments with the effort to publicize and promote Imam Jamil's campaign through workshops, lectures, information tables, discussions and more. They can provide you with information and contacts you'll need to publicize the event amongst a larger crowd, and also with vital information and statistics about the African-American community in the U.S., which you would not find from mainstream sources.
12. Develop alliances
Muslims are not the only ones interested in Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case. African-American organizations, caucuses, social justice groups, left-wing and socialist groups are all interested not just in observing the case but also in doing something about it. This is a great example of Muslims working with others for the greater good. The added bonus of taking a joint approach is that you will have more resources at your disposal to fight for justice for Imam Jamil.
13. Put up a poster in your Church, Masjid, or Community Center asking people to log on to www.ImamJamilActionNetwork.org
This poster should be a short and simple way to sensitize people to Imam Jamil Al-Amin's case. It’s fast and easy and doesn't require expert knowledge about the issue.
14. Use the case as a school project
"Media Bias in the Case of Imam Jamil Al-Amin" could be the topic of your next term paper or presentation. Use your upcoming class assignment as a way to educate peers and your teacher about Imam Jamil and his case. For example, you can do a paper or presentation for a law class; you can
discuss how his case shows media bias in a journalism class; you can do a book review of this autobiography Revolution By The Book: The Rap is Live.
15. Make sure his books are part of your local and school library
Check out the bookshelves and see if they're carrying his writing. If not, write a polite letter to the librarian about your discovery and explain why the school should purchase his books and how students will learn from them. Get other students and teachers involved also.
16. Hold a family meeting about Imam Jamil Al-Amin and the case
Have a family discussion about Imam Jamil. Get one member to collect biographical facts about him, another to gather information about the case and a third to talk about how Imam Jamil has benefited Black People in America. End the meeting with a Dua for him and a family collection of money for his defense fund.
October 2014 Update
As of the week of October 6, 2014, Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin has been relocated to the USP Canaan Facility in Waymarket, Pennsylvania, located at: 99974-555 USP Canaan U.S. Penitentiary P.O. Box 300 WAYMART, PA 18472
5 July 2014 - 7/8 Ramadan 1435
#SupportImamJamil
KARIMAH AL-AMIN ON RADIO
JOINED BY RAMSEY CLARK
LISTEN - CALL IN - SUPPORT
Karimah Al-Amin, attorney and wife of Imam Jamil
Al-Amin aka H. Rap Brown, will be interviewed live on WURD 900 AM Philadelphia on
Monday (July 7th)
8:00-9:00 am and on Wednesday (July 9th) 9:00-10:00 am. On Wednesday, Karimah Al-Amin will be joined by
former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark to discuss
the current status of Imam Jamil Al-Amin aka H. Rap
Brown.
Listen live on radio 900AM Philly
or live online at: http://900amwurd.com
Call in and voice your support Local calls: 215-634-8065
Toll free calls: 866-361-0900
#SupportImamJamil
